Every single clause is a new birth

I’ve got twelve chapters to go. Twelve out of 48 chapters (and two ancillary sections that are neither pro- nor epilogues) in order to finish this draft and I’m basically reworking every sentence to the point of unrecognition. This draft will be so different than the last–for the better–and I already have so many notes on what needs to be done in the draft to follow, and the draft after that, and after that…

But you won’t get to read any of those, so for my next trick, I’ll talk about things you can read.

I’ve got a book recommendation for Peter Grandbois’s The Arsenic Lobster up at The Lit Pub. If I’ve ever asked you to tell me a story about scars, you’ll probably enjoy reading that. You’ll probably also enjoy reading Grandbois’s book.

Also, there’s a little recap of the reading I did a few weekends ago at the Baltimore Book Festival, where I had the pleasure of meeting a hundred nice people, none more gracious than Jen Michalski and Michael Kimball. If you’re in the area, you should go to one of their readings. They’re great fun.

I’m also thrilled to announce that I’m going to have a story (a long one) in the next issue of Fourteen Hills. Issue 19.1, I’m told. Title is “Hacking and Packing.” More info on that once the story’s tangible and available for purchase.

Also, for those of you who prefer to be read to, the next Literary Firsts reading (and the last for 2012) is just four days away. Erica Anzalone, Myfanwy Collins, Jennifer De Leon, and Ilan Mochari will be reading; I will be hosting; you will be there, and I will love you.

And, one last note, while I’m deep in the trenches of this new novel, I have stories bouncing around in my head, ones I want to work on and ones that I’ve read by others. One I read today is Tony McMillen’s “Ambuscade,” which I encourage you to read now, unless you don’t like stream-of-consciousness, but actually, even if you don’t, you should still read this because it may well bring you around.